[2000 gv]

Does anyone know what shocks are 4-5 inches longer that the stock rear ones

[Gwagensteve]

An application chart will tell you this pretty quickly - Atari used to have a good scan of the OME shock application page where you could confirm lengths.

However, valving will be a problem, and what are you going to do about the 2-2.5" of increased compressed length? Bumpstop spacers?

I've seen a few GV"s with long rear shocks (commodore, as an example) but haven't been convinced they helped with such of anything except posing. Often posing with the coil laying on the ground behind the car.

Steve.

[2000 gv]

I'm only really looking into it at this stage mate. I'm running 3" extended ones at the moment and when I go out 4wding with my dad in his navara I'm always lifting wheels so I was just thinking the longer shocks would help get me the traction I need in some of the rougher spots.

[Gwagensteve]

What are you doing to prevent the current shocks bottoming before the axle can reach the bumpstop? However you have dealt with that, you'll need 0.5 or 1" more of it to deal with even longer shocks.

I'll just put a bit of "general tech" in here to prevent confusion, as the issue of "extended" or "long travel" shocks comes up fairly often and others might be confused about it when searching and they come across this topic.

Lets say the factory shock is 12" long compressed and 20" long extended, for 8" of travel (These are only examples - not gospel for your car)

When your suspension is fully compressed - so on the bumpstop, there will be about 0.75" of shock travel left unused. This is "insurance" to prevent damage to the car if the suspension is over compressed due to jumping or similar.

If you've fitted shocks that are, in fact, 3" longer than standard extended, then they will be 1.5" longer than standard compressed.
However, theoretically, your axle can still reach the bumpstop when fully compressed. Even though, I assume, you've fitted 3" longer springs for lift, this doesn't make any difference to where the axle ends up when its fully compressed. However, your longer shocks can now bottom out before the axle reaches the bumpstop. This is really bad because the shocks and mounts aren't designed to act as bumpstops - you're likely to break something.

When a manufacturer sells shocks designed for lifted springs, what, in fact, they are often selling are shocks that have stiffer valving to suit the higher rate of the lift springs. They are rarely more than a teeny-tiny bit longer than standard.

There are some unscrupulous vendors who will sell shocks that are too long for your car without any means of preventing damage if they are over compressed, that's why you need to always check the compressed length of the shocks you're planning on fitting and ensure you either move the mounts or add bumpstop spacing to prevent potential damage.

In addition, if your springs aren't long enough to match the extended length of the longer shocks, the springs will go loose as the axle fully droops. when this happens, very little traction is being added by the increased flex.

In all honesty, get a rear locker and live with lifted wheels. I've never seen a 4WD, regardless of how capable it is, that doesn't lift wheels at some point. Lockers are the only way to prevent this being an issue.

Steve.

[sezed]

Nice clear summary, thanks steve

[2000 gv]

Ok thanks steve I might just stick with the shocks I've got then. As far as lockers go who makes them for the gvs?

Cheers Daniel

[Sco-tie]

ARB make them but you will need to change the 3rd member in the rear and a whole lot of everything in the front.

[Gwagensteve]

(axle) housing or carrier?

I thought the housing stays GV but the carrier needs to swap to a vitara one.

[Sco-tie]

The third member or what ever the other name for it is. I learnt diffs online so American lingo. Too many words around diffs that mean different things but are the same. The thing that holds the actual diff. Not the axles or the axle tubes.

[Gwagensteve]

I consider the third member to be the complete unit (Carrier, centre and ring and pinion)

cool though, we are talking about the same thing.

Cheap from a wrecker.

[Sco-tie]

Not cheap if your in SA. If you're going to that trouble then do gearing if you can get some 4.8 if you have a manual or 5.12s if you have an auto. 12 bolt rear and 10 bolt front. It's been done plenty of times in here. Sounds like it's a fairly new set up so I'd be saying keep wheeling it and you will find out what you need. The rear can flex really well but you need huge bump stops and big custom shocks or can use caimira shocks just fine cheap enough to destroy if you want.

[2000 gv]

hmmm this all sounds very expensive. i might have to just change my driving style for the time being until i have a bit more money to throw around.\

cheers Daniel

[Sco-tie]

owning a 4wd isn't expensive, 4wding and breaking things is!